When the head coach makes the call to deliver an offer, it means he’s very serious about the prospect he’s talking with. In the case of the recent South Carolina offer to OT Miller Westerfield (6-7 295) of Roswell, GA, Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer took matters into his own hands in delivering the offer.
“The head coach reached out, and he gave me the offer, and we talked for a long time,” Westerfield said. “You get a feel of a good coach when the conversation is real and like you’re getting treated in person. He’ll reach out every day. He’s really cordial. He’ll send me an inspirational text in the morning. The defensive player we had go from Roswell to South Carolina (Kobby Sakyi-Prah), he reached out, and he’s like, you’d love it here. The coaching staff is great. The offensive coaching staff is amazing. And that head coach is just a character.”
Westerfield has also talked with new Gamecock offensive line coach Randy Clements. What he’s heard from him matches what other OL coaches have said about him as a future college offensive lineman.
“I’ve got the size and the frame to put the weight on,” Westerfield said. “These coaches reach out, and they mostly touch on the athleticism and the aggression. If you show those two things, you can build an NFL offensive lineman out of it.”
When it comes down to deciding on a school, Westerfield said there will be three key factors with which he will grade out the programs.
“I want it to be somewhere I can have a good college experience,” Westerfield said. “I want to go for a degree that means something. And I want to have the chance to be developed and possibly play at the next level.”
He has not yet set any spring visit dates, but Westerfield said he will see USC for the first time, and he also plans to set up an official visit. He is also looking at Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee for spring visits. Last season, he went to Georgia State, Wake Forest, and Auburn for games.
While he grew up a Georgia fan, Westerfield said that won’t be part of his thinking as he goes through the recruiting process. He’s interested in all the schools showing interest back at him. His other offers include South Florida, Florida State, LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Connecticut, East Carolina, Colorado State, and others.